Commission seeks flexibility to set degree-authorization fees by rule rather than statute

Kyle Thomas, director of legislative and policy affairs for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, asked the House Committee on Higher Education Feb. 6 to support House Bill 3028. Thomas said the bill would allow the Office of Degree Authorization — which oversees private degree-granting institutions that are not exempt — to set its fee schedule by administrative rule rather than by statute.

Thomas said the office currently operates on a statutory fee schedule and receives no general fund support, relying entirely on fees. He said removing the statutory schedule and enabling a rulemaking process would not automatically raise fees; the agency would initially republish the current schedule by rule. The change would give the agency flexibility to adjust fees in response to real-time demands (for example, an influx of adult learners driving demand for new nondegree and degree-granting institutions) without waiting for legislative action, which can take more than two years.

Thomas described established oversight steps if fees were proposed: notification to the Legislative Fiscal Office and the Department of Administrative Services, budget and fee reviews, and the existing mechanism of a fee-ratification bill in the next session where the legislature can keep or revert changes.

Representative Yonker asked whether anyone would testify on how the change would affect schools; staff said no one had signed up. The public hearing was closed with no action taken during the Feb. 6 meeting.